Avoiding And Addressing Problems With Your Refrigerator
There are few home appliances that will serve a more important or central role than the refrigerator. A refrigerator that is suffering from severe problems can lead to food spoilage and other potentially significant problems.
Avoid Setting The Thermostat In The Refrigerator Too Low
Modern refrigerators will often have a temperature control panel that is fairly easy to access. However, homeowners should typically avoid adjusting this setting. It can be easy to set the thermostat too low, which can contribute to the system freezing over. When this occurs, the coils on the system could suffer extensive damage. Furthermore, it could lead to the system freezing and failing to work for hours or longer, which could lead to a higher risk of food spoiling. Your refrigerator will have a set operating range that is recommended by the manufacturer. To avoid accidentally setting it too low, you may want to use a marker or tape to differentiate the safe temperature zone.
Keep Some Items In The Refrigerator Whenever It Is Running
A completely empty refrigerator can be a major source of energy inefficiency. Additionally, this can contribute to the unit suffering far more wear than it normally would. This occurs because the items that are kept in the refrigerator will help to keep the interior cool. When the refrigerator is empty, the cooling system will have to work for far longer in order to keep the interior of the unit within the specific temperature range.
Ensure There Is Enough Room For Proper Ventilation
Placing the refrigerator too close to the wall or otherwise blocking the flow of air behind the unit can be a major mistake. On the back of the refrigerator, there will be a series of coils that are responsible for venting the heat from the interior of the unit. Without proper air flow, these coils will be unable to vent this heat away, which can lead to the interior of the refrigerator becoming much warmer than you desired. At a minimum, you should provide at least a few inches of clearance, but more may provide better performance.
Know When It Is Time To Replace The Door Gaskets And Seals
If the seals on the door of the refrigerator are compromised, the entire unit will experience noticeable and drastic performance problems. These problems will arise due to the cool air in the interior of the unit escaping through small gaps in the seals. Replacing these seals is a simple repair that may take a homeowner only a few minutes to complete, but it is often overlooked.
In the event that your refrigerator fails on you completely, visit an appliance store near you.